Claudio Hetz Ph.D.
Principal Investigator (chetz@med.uchile.cl)

• Full Professor University of Chile
• Principal Investigator FONDAP Center for Molecular Studies of the Cell.
• Adjunct Professor Harvard School of Public Health (Boston, MA, USA)
• Deputy Director Neuroscience Biomedical Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile
• President NeuroUnion Biomedical Foundation

Previous trainings.

• Postdoctoral training Harvard School of Public Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, USA.
• Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, Serono Pharmaceutical Research Institute (Geneva, Switzerland) and University of Chile (Santiago, Chile).
• Molecular Biotechnology Engineer. University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Selected honors and awards. 

2008     Awarded with the Young Scientist Prize TWAS-ROLAC from the Latin American Science Academy for the best young scientist in the region.

2008 The Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology, selected finalist by the editors of Science magazine as outstanding young scientist.

2008    Awarded with the “Cell Biology Society of Chile and Bios-Chile prize” as a recognition for the scientific career.

2007    Selected by the newspaper “El Mercurio” as one of the 100 Chilean young leaders 2007.

2003     Herman Neimeyer Medal, Chilean Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, best Ph.D. student in Biomedical Sciences of Chile. 

Soledad Matus Ph.D.
Senior Post doctoral fellow (mmatus@med.uchile.cl)

• Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
• Professional Degree in Biochemistry Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

Rene Vidal, Ph.D.
Post doctoral fellow (rvidal@med.uchile.cl) 

• Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Universidad Austral de Chile, Chile.
• Professional Degree in Biochemistry, Universidad Austral de Chile, Chile.

Karen Castillo, Ph.D.
Post doctoral fellow (kcastillo@med.uchile.cl) 

• Ph.D. in Cellular, Molecular Biology and Neuroscience, University of Chile, Chile.
• Professional Degree in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering, University of Chile.

Diego Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Post doctoral fellow (drodriguez@med.uchile.cl)

• Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
• Professional Degree in Biochemistry, University of Chile, Chile.

Gabriela Mercado, Ph.D.
Post doctoral fellow (gabygabyota@gmail.com) 

• Ph.D. in Cellular, Molecular Biology and Neuroscience, University of Chile, Chile.
• Professional Degree in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering, University of Chile.

Ute Woehlbier, PhD
Senior Post doctoral fellow  (uwoehlbier@yahoo.de)

• Post doctoral fellow, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA
• Ph.D. University of Heidelberg, Germany
• Master’s in Molecular Biology, University of Heidelberg, Germany

Fernanda Lisbona  
Ph.D. student (mlisbona@med.uchile.cl)

• Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology, University of Chile..
• Professional Degree on Molecular Biotechnology Engineer, University of Chile.

Mauricio Torres
Ph.D. Student (mtorres@med.uchile.cl)

• Professional Degree in Biochemistry, Austral University, Valdivia, Chile.

Diego Rojas-Rivera
Ph.D. student (drojasr@med.uchile.cl)

• Professional Degree in Chemist and Pharmaceutical chemists, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Andrés Henríquez
Master’s student in Molecular Biology, University of Chile (potaco@hotmail.com)

• Professional Degree on Molecular Biotechnology Engineer, University of Chile.

Melissa Calegaro
Ph.D. student (mcalegaro@med.uchile)

• Professional degree on Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS-Brazil.
• Master's degree in Biochemistry, Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica – UFRGS-Brazil

Gabriela Martinez 
Ph.D. student (gmartinez@med.uchile.cl)

• Bachelor in Biological Sciences, Catholic University, Santiago, Chile.

• Professional Degree in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering, University of Chile.

Vicente Valenzuela
Master’s student in Molecular Biology, University of Chile (vicentevalenzuela@gmail.com)

• Professional Degree on Molecular Biotechnology Engineer, University of Chile.

Maritza Oñate
Master’s student in Molecular Biology, University of Chile (m.onate.valenzuela@gmail.com)

• Professional Degree on Molecular Biotechnology Engineer, University of Chile.

Amparo Zuleta
Molecular Biotechnology Engineering student (amparo_zuleta@hotmail.com)

Catherine Andreu
Molecular Biotechnology Engineering student (cathyandreu@hotmail.com)

Nancy Hernandez
Laboratory administrator, grant accounting (n.hernandez.v@gmail.com)

• Professional Degree in Biochemistry, Universidad Austral de Chile, Chile
  

Thergiory Irrazábal 
Laboratory researcher (tey.irrazabal@gmail.com) 

• Master in Biochemical Toxicology and Molecular Diagnosis.
• Professional Degree in Biochemistry, University of Chile.

Alicia Figueroa
Laboratory assistant (lfigueroa@med.uchile.cl)

• Professional Degree in Biochemistry Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

Estefanía Lopez 
Laboratory assistant (estefanialopezarenas@gmail.com) 

• Professional Degree in Molecular Biotechnology Engineering, University of Chile.

Cristian Olguin Tarifeño
Laboratory manager

• Technical degree on Industrial biotechnology, INACAP, Chile.

Co-mentored students at the University of Chile:

Maria Inez Diaz: Ph.D. student University of Chile

Gonzalo Encina (2010-2011): Post doctoral fellow

Karina Munoz (2010-2011): Animal technician

Benjamin Caballero (2008-2010): Laboratory assistant

Danny Galleguillos (2008-2009): Post doctoral fellow

Sebastian Zamorano (2008-2010): Molecular Biotechnology Engineering student

Sylvia Flores (2008-2009): Laboratory assistant

Alexis Martinez (2008-2010): Laboratory assistant

Luis Miguel Gomez (2007): Laboratory assistant

Cristian Leon (2007): Laboratory assistant